Chinese dubious of reports cardboard bun report faked (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Chinese dubious of reports cardboard bun report faked
23 Jul 2007 09:13:11 GMT
Source: Reuters

BEIJING, July 23 (Reuters) - When the Chinese government said
scandalous TV footage of a Beijing snack vendor stuffing steamed
buns with flavoured cardboard was a hoax, some quipped that even
the news in China is fake.

But since the authorities detained hidden-camera-wielding reporter
Zi Beijia and a handful of others last week, many ordinary Chinese
have said they doubt the government's line and believe the story
of the cardboard "baozi", as the buns are called in Mandarin.

True or not, the original report came at a sensitive time, with
China under mounting pressure from abroad over food and product
safety scandals and just days after the government blasted foreign
media for blowing the story out of proportion.

Suspicion of the government's denial of the story, and arrests,
highlights an underlying scepticism that many Chinese have towards
government propaganda, which tends to be sanguine and almost
never reflects poorly on the ruling Communist Party.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HKG225787.htm

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. odd story. Don't know what to believe. n/t

[drm604]

3. You and me both.

It's entirely possible the reporter made it up but given that the government apparently arrests people over faking this kind of thing, why would the reporter fake it? What could he gain that would be worth risking arrest by the Chinese government? We worry about the loss of habeas corpus here (and rightfully so) but they never had it to begin with.

On the other hand, if the story is true, the government has plenty to gain by saying it's fake and arresting him.

But how does the government even know whether or not it's true?

[youngdem]

4. How about if it is a Rovian style tactic

Perhaps the Chinese have learned a thing or two from the Bush administration.

Perhaps, the Chinese were angry about the negative coverage, so they published a negative story, then debunked it, then disciplined the reporter, casting doubt against ALL such food contamination reports.

No proof, just a thought.

[rpannier]

2. The story is looking more and more like a fake...

But given what we've seen from our insipid...I mean intrepid media it could be true and the Chinese government is covering it up.